


Steady Love

by weyfarere



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Clint Needs a Hug, Deaf Clint, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, SHIELD Husbands, but it addresses things in the show, fluffy moment, pre episode 1, schmoopy feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-24
Updated: 2013-09-24
Packaged: 2017-12-27 12:24:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/978835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weyfarere/pseuds/weyfarere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint doesn't like change, especially when he's the one feeling left behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Steady Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AlyKat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlyKat/gifts).



> This is just a random moment between Clint and Phil that I wrote up for AlyKat who was having a bad day and asked for a little C/C fluff to make her feel better. I hope this helps!

      There now, steady love, so few come and don't go  
      Will you, won't you be the one I'll always know?  
      When I'm losing my control, the city spins around  
      You're the only one who knows, you slow it down  
  
      -The Fray

 

 

Clint didn’t move from his spot on the couch when Phil walked in.  Clint wouldn’t have heard him come in (Phil could see his hearing aids tossed aside on the coffee table), but their front door was rigged to make the lights blink on and off so Clint would always know if someone entered whether he was wearing his hearing aids or not.

 

The worn, gray blanket wrapped around the archer let Phil know that this was no ordinary sulk, but a genuine ‘everything is wrong with my life and I don’t know how to fix it’ mope that would take some careful prodding to coax him out of.  The blanket was a gift from Phil’s mother, knitted specially for Clint the first time he came home with Phil for Christmas.  It was the first time Phil had ever seen the man cry.  Phil headed to their bedroom to change into sweatpants and a t-shirt – nothing would make Clint close down faster than being approached by Agent Coulson instead of his husband.

 

He grabbed his newest novel off the nightstand and headed back to the living room, knowing Clint still wouldn’t have moved.  He leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Clint’s head as he sat with his back against the arm of the couch.  Nudging his husband’s thigh with his toes he signed and spoke, “Do you want to talk about it?”

 

Clint shot him an obstinate glare and glanced pointedly at his hearing aids on the table.  There was no language – spoken or signed – necessary to convey the obvious ‘ _if I wanted to talk about it I would be wearing my hearing aids, wouldn’t I?  Idiot_.’  Though Phil knew the ‘idiot’ would have been fond.

 

Phil hummed, shrugging and opening his book.  He made it through two chapters before Clint nudged his leg.  Phil looked up, but Clint merely nodded his head in the direction of the kitchen.  “I hope that’s not your way of telling me to make dinner, or you might not leave this couch tonight,” Phil answered.

 

Clint rolled his eyes.  _You need to eat_ , he signed.  Ah, the silent treatment.  Well, not silent, really, Phil was as fluent in sign language as Clint, but having been rendered deaf only a few years ago, Clint still tended to use verbal language almost all the time. 

 

Phil put his book down.  “I already ate with Agent May, but have you eaten?  I can make you something.”  He signed as he spoke even though he knew Clint could read lips.  Phil had a guess as to what was bothering his husband and he was going to give him every reassurance he could; speaking with his hands being a sure way to keep Clint feeling connected.

 

Clint’s scowl deepened at the mention of May, further confirming what Phil was beginning to believe was the root of his grumpiness.  “I tried calling you,” he explained, “To see if you wanted to join us, but you didn’t answer.  I thought you might be with Natasha.”

 

_She’s with Bucky._

Phil could imagine Clint’s tone at the mention of Bucky, but he knew better than to tease Clint about his jealousy now.  He’d been telling Clint for months that he and Barnes would get along beautifully if he’d only give the man a chance.  No luck so far.

 

“What about Tony?” 

 

Phil was still slightly horrified by Clint’s fast friendship with Stark, but he knew that genuine friendships were hard for his husband to come by, so he did his best to be supportive.  Though he drew the line at double dates.  He loved Pepper, but no.

 

Clint shrugged.  _Science shit with Bruce. Still deconstructing the alien tech from our last call out._

 

 “Why didn’t you answer when I called, then?”

 

Clint shrugged again. 

 

Phil smiled at him fondly before tugging on the man’s hand.  “Come here.”  Clint mulishly allowed himself to be manhandled into his husband’s arms until they were both leaning against the arm of the couch, Clint’s back to Phil’s chest and their legs tangled along the cushions.  Eventually Clint sighed, relaxing into Phil as he settled the blanket over both of them.

 

“I don’t think you can be upset about feeling left out when I know everyone is trying to include you,” Phil said quietly, hands moving carefully to convey his message.

 

Clint dug an elbow lightly into Phil’s side and he knew his assumption was correct.

 

_You know I don’t like change._

 

Phil did know that.  After a childhood wrought with nothing but heartache and instability, Clint clung to every measure of goodness he had in his hard-fought adult life.  Changing that when everything had finally fallen into place for him was sure to throw him off balance. 

 

“I know, but you know the important things haven’t changed.”

 

Phil could feel Clint’s glare at the side of his head.  _You’re leaving me for some bullshit new team, Natasha has already left me for an asshole assassin, and Fury told me he’s taking me out of the mission pool so that I can be an Avenger full time.  Which really means I’m stuck babysitting Tony and Steve so they play nice._ His hands moved angrily, conveying just how long he’d been stewing over these emotions.

 

“No one is leaving you, Clint.  I’m leading a new team, yes, but we’re completely mobile and I’ll be back here between every mission. And Natasha hasn’t replaced you with Bucky.”  Clint snorted at that.  “She hasn’t, babe, and I know you won’t deny her the only person in the world who actually understands what she’s been through.”

 

Clint huffed and Phil pulled him closer for a minute before letting go to sign again.  “You are an amazing man and a wonderful best friend to her.  I know she appreciates that you’ve let her reconnect with Bucky, just give her time.”

 

_I know.  It just sucks.  I liked everything the way it was._

 

“It’s not going to change all that much, you’ll see.  Besides, you can’t tell me you’re not looking forward to tormenting Agent Ward.  Even Hill likes to torment Agent Ward.”

 

Phil counted it a small victory when Clint chuckled.  _I have so many plans for him._

 

“Plausible deniability, don’t tell me any of them.”

 

_Like you aren’t already planning on helping me with half of them._

Phil laughed and Clint snuggled down a little closer.  _You promise things won’t change? With us?_

“You’re my husband, Clint.  If Loki couldn’t separate us with his mind control and his fucking spear, a new team certainly isn’t up to the task.”

 

_I wonder how many places we can have sex on your new plane before your team realizes we’ve compromised every room._

“There’s the man I know and love.”

 

They settled into one another, Phil stroking a hand through Clint’s hair while Clint turned enough to nuzzle into Phil’s chest.  After twenty or so minutes, Clint picked up Phil’s abandoned book.  “Will you read to me?” He asked softly.

 

“I can’t sign if I’m holding a book.”

 

“I know,” Clint replied, “I don’t care what the words are, I just like feeling you talk when I’m laying like this.”

 

Phil pressed a kiss to his head and opened the book.  They spent the rest of the evening cuddled on the couch, Phil reading and Clint dozing in and out, each of them taking comfort in the familiarity of one another’s presence.  Their lives were changing, yes, but some things never would.

 

 


End file.
